Bar hanger installation jig



Feb. 15, 1955 A. l. APPLETON BAR HANGER vINSTALLATION JIG Filed Nov. 24. 1950 2,701,908 BARHANGER ,INSTALLATION JIG Aubin IAmnaan, Northbrook, in.

.ppii'cagianntovember 24, 195o, serial No. 197,293 n l 4 claims". (o1. 29e-284) 1apart,adjacer'it oor joists vor other suitable supports.V

Others are radapted for-attachment to the bottom edges of rthe joists land `usually -r'equire that such edges be -ntchedrout to make the underlying portions of the'bar hanger flush with the bottom edges of the joists. It is with the installation of bar hanger assemblies of the kind iirst mentioned, rather Athan the latter kind, that the present invention is primarily concerned.

,A Que objectof the invention is to provide an installation jig-fori`se1inmounting a bar hanger assembly and whichwill permit the installer to support such assembly with one hand andat 'the same time precisely lposition thekas'sembl'y relative tothe bottom edges of the joists as an incident to suchV support.

f, Another'objectis to provide'a jig of the character set forth Yand which will -be Vsusceptible of positioning or gauging a1b'a'r hanger assembly selectively at various predetermined distancesjrelative :to the plane of the lower edgs of the joists.

'A furitherlobjeet.Visto-provide a bar hanger installation jig of the type set forth which can be readily adapted for use with various joist spacings.

Still another object is to provide a bar hanger installation jig which will be exceptionally light in weight yet sufficiently rugged to withstand rough usage.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an illustrative bar hanger installation jig embodying the present invention, such jig being illustrated in operative position against the lower edges of a pair of spaced apart oor joists.

Fig. 1A is a perspective view of a type of bar hanger assembly for use with which the illustrative jig is particularly well suited.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken in the plane of the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 but with the cradle portion of the jig in alinement with its bridge portion.

Fi'g. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the central portion of the jig shown in Fig. 1, as viewed from the plane designated 3-3.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the illustrative jig per se.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, a preferred embodiment has been shown in the drawing and will be described below in considerable detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specic form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed inV the appended claims.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the invention is there shown embodied in an illustrative jig or fixture comprising a bridge 11, a cradle .12 and a handle 14. In Fig. 1, the jig 10 is illustrated in opera- .States-Patent 2,701,908 Patented Feb. 15,1955

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tive position wherein the bridge 11 spans .a pair of laterally spaced, adjacent lloor joists 15, being disposed 1n abnttxng relation with their bottom edges 16. In such position, the jig 10 is adapted to support a bar hanger assembly 18, indicated in dot-dash outline, supportingl and positioning the same at a predetermineddistance above the plane of the lower edges 16 of the joists.

In the present instance, the bar hanger assembly-18 happens to be similar to the one ydisclosed and claimed in my copending application, mentioned earlier herein, to which reference may be made for a detailed description of such assembly. For present purposes, it might be noted that Athe hangerv assembly 18 comprises a bar -19 having loop-shaped endsf20 ythrough which nails21 or other fastening elements are passed for attaching the assembly 18 to the opposed side faces of the joists. At an intermediate point along its length, the bar 19 -sup ports an outlet box 22 or the like which is securedthereto by means of a clamp 23. The hanger assembly 18 is susceptible of use with a series of different joist spacings and is made of greater overall length than the maximum spacing in suchseries. Thus by angling the bar hanger assembly 18 to a greater or lesser extent in a horizontal plane, variation in joist spacings can readily be allowed for.

Provision is made in the jig 10 for supportingg'the'br hanger assembly 18, including the outlet'box 22, during installation and for precisely gauging the position of such assembly with respect to the plane of the lower edges 16 of the joists as an incident to such support. In furtherance of this objective, the bridge 11is fashionedwith a shallow U-shape, comprising a central oifset 24 terminating in a pair of out-turned wings 25 spaced above the plane of the offset (as viewed in Fig. 1) and adapted to abut against the bottom edges 16 of the kjoists. The bridge 11 is preferably cast or stamped from relatively light metal, being reinforced against bending by means of a pair of longitudinal edge flanges 26 and stiffening ribs 2S running longitudinally of the wing portions 25. The cradle 12 is mounted onthe offset 24 and is also substantially U-sh'aped, comprising a flat base Y29 and a pair of spaced apart, upstanding legs 30. The latter are adapted to straddle the outlet box 22 and have meansat their projecting ends for supportingthe hanger assembly 18, including the outlet box .22, at `a* Ipredetermined distance with respect to the plane of thellower edgesfl of the joists.

Means is provided for selectively gauging the position of the assembly 18, including the outlet box 22, relative to the plane of the lower edges 16 of the joists to allow for various ceiling thicknesses and also to allow for the use of so-called shallow or deep outlet boxes. This is accomplished in the present instance by mounting on the free or upper ends of the cradle legs 30 a pair of alternatively positionable brackets 31. Each of the brackets 31 is eccentrically pivoted as at 32 to a corresponding one of the legs 30, thereby deiining a so-called long end or short end in each bracket. In this case, the short end of each of the brackets 31 is provided with a series of slots 34, 35, 36 of various depths for receiving the bar 19 of the hanger assembly 18. In like manner, the long end of each bracket 31 has a similar series of slots 34A, 35A and 36A therein. By the use of a suitable detent means, such as embossments 38 in the brackets and holes 39 in the legs 30, each of the brackets 31 can be alternatively disposed with either its long end or its short end uppermost. By properly Calibrating the slots in either end of each bracket for the various ceiling thicknesses commonly used in building construction, it will be perceived that a hanger assembly with a so-called shallow box can readily be positioned by having the shorter ends of the brackets uppermost and selectively utilizing any alined pair of the slots 34, 35, 36 to receive the bar 19. On the other hand, a bar hanger assembly having a socalled deep box can be positioned by having the longer ends of the brackets uppermost and utilizing any alined pair of the slots 34A, 35A or 36A to receive the bar 19.

For the purpose of keeping the bridge 11 well clear of the path of the hammer used for installing the bar hanger assembly 18, and thereby effecting ready accommodation of the jig 10 to various joist spacings, provision is made foradjustably securing the cradle 12 in various angular positions about a substantially upright axis. This is accomplished inthe present instance by securing the base 29 of the cradle to the offset 24 through the use of appropriate screw means interposed between the base 29 and the handle 14, such means passing through the'offset 24. An ordinary screw, having its head rigidly secured to the cradle base 29 as by means of soldering or brazing, meets this purpose quite satisfactorily. Accordingly, when it is desired to shift the cradle 12 from a position of alinement with the bridge 11 to an angular position such as that indicated in Fig. 3, it is only necessary to loosen the handle 14 slightly, move the cradle to the desired angular position, and then tighten the handle 14 by hand. In some instances, it is desirable to define various angular positions for the cradle by the use of a detent means. The latter in this case merely comprises an embossment 40 in the cradle base projecting toward the offset 24, together with a series of circumferentially spaced holes 41 in the offset 24, the latter being located on an arc having its center at the pivotal axis of the cradle 12.

In order to permit the jig to be hung up when not in use and also to facilitate handling during manufacture of the jig, the bridge 11 may be provided at one end with a circular hole 42 (see Fig. 4).

Upon reflection, it will be apparent that there has been provided a novel and advantageous bar hanger installa tion jig which adequately fulfills the objectives set forth earlier herein and greatly facilitates low cost installation of such equipment on a mass productive basis.

I claim as my invention:

1. An installation jig for mounting a bar hanger assembly including a bar and outlet box between a pair of laterally spaced and generally upright supports such as oor joists, said jig comprising, in combination, a bridge having outwardly extending wings disposable in abutting relation with the lower edges of the joists, a central offset in said bridge spaced from the plane of said wings in a direction remote from their joist abutting surfaces, a cradle mounted on said central offset and having a base terminating in a pair of laterally spaced upstanding legs adapted to straddle the outlet box, means interposed between said offset and said cradle base for defining various angular positions of the same relative to said offset, each of said legs extending toward said joist abutting surfaces and projecting substantially beyond the same, each said leg also being slotted for selectively supporting and gauging the position of the bar hanger assembly and outlet box relative to the plane of the lower edges of the joists.

2. An installation jig for mounting a bar hanger assembly between a pair of laterally spaced floor joists or the like, said jig comprising the combination of a bridge having out-turned wings disposable in abutting relation with the lower edges of the pair of joists, a central offset in said bridge spaced from the plane of said wings, a cradle mounted on said central offset and having a pair of laterally spaced upstanding legs adapted to project beyond the plane of said wings and between the joists, said legs terminating in means for selectively positioning the bar hanger assembly at various predetermined distances from the plane of the lower edges of the joists.

3. A jig for use in installing a bar hanger assembly between a pair of laterally spaced adjacent floor joists or the like, said jig comprising, in combination, a bridge having wings disposable into abutting relation with the lower edges of the joists, a handle depending below said bridge, an upstanding cradle mounted on said bridge and projecting substantially beyond said wings, means on said cradle for selectively supporting and gauging the position of the bar hanger assembly with respect to the lower edges of the joists, and means for selectively locating said cradle in various angular positions relative to said bridge. y

4. A jig for mounting a bar hanger assembly between a pair of laterally spaced floor joists or the like, said jig comprising the combination of a bridge having coplanar faces disposable into abutting relation with the lower edges of the joists, a cradle mounted on said bridge and having laterally spaced upstanding legs projecting beyond said bridge faces, and alternatively positionable brackets adjustably fixed to said legs at their end portions, each said bracket having means for selectively supporting and positioning the bar hanger assembly at various predetermined distances from the plane of said coplanar faces and hence from the lower edges of the joists.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10,262 Goldmark Nov. 22, 1853 89,112 Wright Apr. 20, 1869 625,427 Stewart et al. May r23, 1899 685,078 Willringhaus Oct. 22, 1901 1,506,673 Seablom Aug. 26, 1924 2,289,458 Rodgers July 14, 1942 2,392,549 Rice Ian. 8, 1946 2,515,067 Wright et al. July 11, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 556,537 France Apr. 16, 1923 

